Carrie Firestone

Dress Coded focuses on the (sometimes) overwhelming negativity that young girls in middle school face today when it comes to their clothing choices. The book follows Molly, a young girl who decides to start her own podcast after her friend, Olivia, is humiliated by their school Dean and Principal and who becomes a social pariah. One of the many important aspects of the book, is the fact that young girls in middle school are going through a lot; especially when it comes to puberty. Olivia was shamed for wearing a tank top, after removing her sweatshirt in order to cover up her pants, after she realized all too late, that she had gotten her period. Instead of the Dean and Principal hearing her out, they shamed her for exposing skin and cancelled the class field trip because of her supposed "insubordination." With this podcast, many other students, both past and present, come to Molly and Olivia's side to tell their stories of being shamed for their clothing choices, or getting in trouble when the dress code was never explained. Molly is also dealing with personal family issues; a brother who has been caught vaping, and parents who are so hyperfocused on his day-to-day activities, that their interest in Molly takes a back seat. This is a great book for middle school girls, but especially boys too, because there are so many times when boys will even make fun of girls for what they are wearing, how they are wearing something, etc., and not even realize that their classmates might be going through a bit of a crises, like Olivia. It teaches kids to come together and to fight for what's right and to stand up to bullying, even if the bullies are adults.… (més)

Representation: Black and Asian characters, character with a physical disability
Trigger warnings: Racism, racist slur, sexism, ableism, bullying, drug use and abuse mentioned, body shaming
Score: Six out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.

Is it me or have I seen something like this before? I saw Dress Coded circling my recommendations till I finally saw it in a library and decided to pick it up. I glanced at the blurb, noticing similarities with another flawed and okay novel called Does My Body Offend You, and I felt the same way when I closed the final page of Dress Coded.

It starts with Molly going to her school when she notices some school authorities pull over her women peers over their clothes, saying they break the dress code, causing Molly to start a podcast about the issue. I like the concept, the theme of rebellion and the message of defying systemic sexism, but there were so many flaws I didn't know where to begin, but I'll try: for a book barely over 300 pages, it's slow paced with some pages not dedicated to the central theme that if removed could've tightened the reading experience. The characters are hard to connect or relate with, but I don't think that's Firestone's fault, instead I might not be the target audience, and another reason might be seeing dress coding as an American problem. Where I live, schools don't have dress codes--they have uniforms and don't allow free dress unlike in America, so I can see why I couldn't relate to Dress Coded. The plot has so many subplots that detract from it I found it disjointed, like the ones about traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, drug use and most prominently, vaping (unfortunately, it is a problem here too,) but what has that got to do with dress coding, I struggle to understand. Removing unneeded subplots could be an improvement. Dress Coded is Does My Body Offend You for a younger audience since both discuss similar themes, but the former's writing style is basic (I think that's intentional,) but I found Dress Coded to be unrealistic sometimes. This dress coding issue has been going on for years according to the narrative and people tried to stop it but that didn't work, but that begs the question of how has this been a problem for so long? How? The characters were on their own as adults weren't by their side, which I found polarising (adding more supportive adults would've balanced everything out.) At least the conclusion is a high note when I saw a new rewritten dress code.… (més)

Molly Frost's (Dress Coded) neighbor Mary Kate Murphy takes center stage in another story of youth activism. Mary Kate is part of a pilot program in which a small group of eighth graders study climate change - and propose solutions. The students' ideas go far beyond their teacher Mr. Lu's idea of a bulletin board display, and Mary Kate teams up with Shawn, who is from Hartford, to work on composting the horrifying amount of leftover school food. The new school superintendent has a say-yes, can-do attitude, enabling and empowering the kids to try their big ideas, and Mary Kate and her climate club are also supported by Molly and her social justice club at the high school. Mary Kate's older sister Sarah helps run interference with their parents, even as she parents a baby and helps her friend Charlotte Lane, a teacher, run for mayor.

Readers will come away hopeful, and with a better understanding of how climate justice and racial justice are intertwined.

See also: Dress Coded, Me and Marvin Gardens by A.S. King, Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet by Barbara Dee

Quotes

Being at school without Lucy is like being at a party without shoes or being at a dinner without food. It's depressing and uncomfortable. (22)

I don't have the heart to tell my sister that my private thoughts revolve around how to survive climate change and how not to feel sorry for myself because Lucy is sick and mad and not here. (36)

"You are not responsible for what greedy, powerful people have done to this planet. You're thirteen." (Mr. Lu, 50)

"How do I convince people who don't want to listen?" (Rebecca, 145)

It's like our new superintendent is infecting everyone with yeses. (257)… (més)

Summary
This book is about Molly Frost, who is an eighth grader at Fisher Middle School. Molly starts a podcast when the dress code rules get out of control. It all started when her best friend, Olvia got “dress coded” for wearing a top that was not to code according to a teacher. Olivia would not put her sweatshirt on since it was covering up her period accident. This was just one of many dress code infractions that were called out by teachers at the school. Molly and her friends stand up for their fellow middle school students' rights to wear clothes of their choice.

Review
This book was so beyond relatable for so many reasons. The comments that were being made and how the students stood up for their beliefs and rights as a student and learner was powerful. I feel like there is still an issue today in school with dress codes and rules for what to wear. I know that in my town "no hats" rule and there is something about the types of tops. I want to go into the school bylaws and check!

This book made me grateful for my school uniforms from 5th-8th grade. Some of this drama was not a thing! I see its impact with my 5th graders worrying what they look like and how they present themselves. It makes me sad when girls are not comfortable wearing shorts or seemingly are hiding in majorly oversized sweatshirts and sweatpants even on hot days!

One criticism for this book is the plot line of Danny, the brother. I feel like sometimes in books they just throw other social issues into the book for discussion. I understand nicotine addiction is a problem, but I don't think it was necessary in the story at all. I think it was a nutmeg a few years ago called You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P by Alex Gino where they did the same thing. There was one plot line the whole time that was powerful and good and then threw in the brother having a problem too! I think that maybe Danny needs his own book! It would be a good book in isolation.… (més)